Two astronauts have completed a spacewalk to install a broadband hub that will beam scientific research back to Earth.
The British-built technology marks the countrys first major industrial contribution to the International Space Station (ISS).
Called ColKa, short for Columbus Ka-band Terminal, the system will allow astronauts to communicate with Earth at home broadband speeds.
The system will allow astronauts to communicate with Earth at home broadband speeds (MDA/UK)
It will revolutionise scientists ability in the UK and Europe to access the results of space-based experiments, from investigations into the effects of radiation on seeds to biomining research.
The results will help researchers to understand things like how our bodies and muscles age, and further their understanding of illnesses like cancer and Parkinsons disease.
This giant leap forward for research carried out in the Columbus module will allow astronauts and researchers to benefit from a dedicated link back to Earth at home broadband speeds.
The astronauts went spacewalking to install a high-speed data link outside the space station (NASA via AP)
Currently, results are returned to Earth on a hard drive, which could take months to receive, with data sometimes being lost in transit.
The new terminal will allow results to be delivered to scientists just a day or two after the data is recorded.
This will allow scientists to process information much more quickly and adjust experiments if they see any problems with the data, such as an unclear image.
On Wednesday Nasas Victor Glover and Michael Hopkins ventured outside the space station to mount the UK-built, UK Space Agency-funded, large suitcase-sized device to the European Space Agencys (ESA) Columbus module on the ISS.
Thats a beautiful view, Mr Hopkins said as the ISS soared 260 miles above Kazakhstan.
(PA Graphics)
Tethered to the ISS by a retractable steel cable, the astronauts faced challenging conditions as they worked to install the terminal.
They went without food for hours as they worked in the harsh thermal vacuum of space, where the temperature can be as hot as 120C in the sunlight, down to minus 160C when the sun is out of sight.